ENRAKU
by weirdLotus
Summary: Ichigo bit his lip. He stopped walking and lowered his head. He stared for a moment on the ground and thought, 'Inoue.' Her name echoed in his head, like a helpless whisper. She had been through a lot because of him. He would always ask if she was all right, she would say yes and he'd feel his heart would be at ease but this time, he couldn't help but feel much more worried.


**TITLE: ENRAKU**

_Ichihime One Shot. _

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach and its characters. They are the property and original creations of Tite Kubo.

Ichigo tightened his jacket and breathed deeply. It was a cold Friday morning in early March as he made his way through a maze of streets.

From a distance he could see the many doors of the apartment building he had been to just yesterday. He can't feel her reiatsu like Chad does, so he doesn't know how she's doing; whether she might be in pain or in trouble, he wouldn't know.

Ichigo bit his lip. He stopped walking and lowered his head. He stared for a moment on the ground and thought, 'Inoue.'

Her name echoed in his head, like a helpless whisper. She had been through a lot because of him. He would always ask if she was all right, she would say yes and he'd feel his heart would be at ease but this time, he couldn't help but feel much more worried. He knew that she wasn't all right and that something was bothering her.

He had been preoccupied of the events that had happened the evening before. The truth about Tsukushima, how he wanted to get Ichigo's attention, and an unexpected chance to see his father meeting with Urahara. A lot had been going through his head that he just wanted more than anything to get his powers back and get things straight. But before that, he had to make sure SHE was all right

Ichigo slowly walked out of the elevator. '403…' he thought to himself as he passed the doors. '405…404…403.' He stopped in front of a bright teal colored door. He then realized he didn't know what to say or how he could go about bringing up the topic. His only alibi for being there felt heavy in his pocket. He took a gulp and gently rang the doorbell.

"Yes! Coming!" exclaimed a bubbly voice from inside. Ichigo could hear some scuffling, a crashing sound and an "Ouchie" coming from behind the door before it finally opened to reveal a slightly flushed face and surprised brown eyes look up at him.

"Ku—Ku—Kurosaki-kun!" she exclaimed straightening her posture in surprise.

"Yo, Inoue," he replied. He let his eyes carefully watch her, checking to make sure she wasn't injured. Her caramel colored hair fell on her shoulders, flowing to her back in a soft wave. He noticed she was wearing her uniform.

"Getting ready for school?" he asked.

"Ye-yes," she replied. She was a little restless as it was so early in the morning for the boy she loves to suddenly walk up to her apartment door.

"Is there something you need Kurosaki-kun?" she quickly followed up to hide her nervousness.

"Ah, yeah, I came by to…" he began but paused for a while as he mentally slapped himself for having a lame excuse. "…to give back the manga I borrowed."

"Eh?"

Ichigo took out a manga from the side pocket of his jacket and handed it to Orihime. Orihime held it for a while and looked up at him with the same confused expression.

"Kurosaki-kun," she said. "You came all the way here, at 7am in the morning to give me the manga you borrowed?"

Ichigo felt his blood being drained and looked back and forth thinking of a quick answer. "Uh, yeah, I was on my way to go do some… stuff… and well, I thought that… since I'd probably pass by your area, I'd give you the manga. I wasn't able to give it back that time you went to my house."

"Oh, then, thank you so much for taking your time to return it," Orihime said giving a bright smile. Ichigo couldn't help but smile back at her.

'Ah, what am I doing... I have to ask her,' he thought. 'But what exactly should I say to her?'

"Are you worried?" asked Orihime. 'Perceptive as always,' Ichigo thought as he looked back at her thoughtful eyes.

"Ye-yeah," he uttered. He didn't notice that he was looking at her, brown eyes filled with so much concern.

Orihime knew it, the look of guilt and worry in his eyes. She had seen them before, so many times, those scrunched up eyebrows and brown eyes that she could get lost in.

"Do you want to come in? I'll go make us some coffee," she said with a smile.

Ichigo followed her inside the apartment. It was as he remembered, the small room, her brother's altar just by the wall to the right of the room. The fresh smell of incense meant she had just finished praying to him.

Orihime gestures for Ichigo to take a seat by the table in the middle of the room. She excused herself and headed for the kitchen.

Ichigo scanned the room. It was clean and simple. He noted the shelf on the other side filled with manga and other books. At the top of the shelf sat two stuff toys that were very much familiar to him. The blue octopus which he gave not too long ago that Christmas and the other one...

'Oh,' he thought. 'I didn't think she would still have that.'

"Here you go, Kurosaki-kun," said Orihime as she entered the room. She laid a plate full of bread and handed Ichigo his cup of coffee.

"I thought maybe you haven't had breakfast yet."

"Ah," he muttered. 'I forgot about breakfast. How could she tell?' The thoughts filled his head as he took a bite from one of the bread on the plate.

He took a quick glance at Orihime who was fidgeting.

"Why are you so restless?" he asked.

"Uh... Err... It's nothing."

'Ku-Kurosaki-kun is in my room. And it's just the two of us. How could I calm down?' she thought taking a sip of her coffee.

'Ah, I can't calm down. This is probably the first time I'm in her room, alone,' thought Ichigo.

The silence was deafening. The thoughts running in their heads kept them from speaking.

"Uh-umm," uttered Orihime. Her nervousness at that moment could not compare to what she had felt when she was in Ichigo's room. "About yesterday..."

"Ri-right," he stammered. He snapped himself back to reality. The reason he was there was to make sure that what Chad had felt yesterday was a mistake.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Orihime swallowed. 'Ah, I really can't hide anything from him. But I really don't want Kurosaki-kun to worry. I should be more convincing.'

"Yes. I'm fine really," she replied. "A friend of mine came by yesterday we talked a little then my stomach just started to hurt."

'Ah, why do I keep thinking that "that" person was my friend?' Orihime wondered.

She looked back at Ichigo, "Kurosaki-kun shouldn't worry too much," she said with finality and smiled reassuringly.

Ichigo's heart quickly calmed down. He let her smile ease his inner worries. 'I know she's also worried about me, the least I could do is believe her.'

"All right," he said standing up. "I guess I worried too much."

"If anything goes wrong," he added as Orihime stood up. "You do know you can rely on me as well."

Orihime blushed but gave another bright smile and an "Un!"

Ichigo also gave his best gentle smile as he headed out of her apartment. He took one last long glance at her as she waved goodbye. He walked slowly and wondered to himself, "When was it that I started to want to protect that smile?"

Ichigo remembered the pink teddy bear that quietly sat on Orihime's shelf. A memory started to play in his thoughts. A cold afternoon, a loud knock on the door and the image of a crying girl occupied his mind.

*.*.*.*

_"Please help!" begged the girl with short auburn hair. A man was planked on her shoulder, unconscious and lifeless._

_Ichigo, a little over 10, was pretty shocked at the sight. He quickly took action, the only thing he knew he could do._

_"Please wait here, I'll go call my dad," he said trying his best to assure the young girl. Ichigo hurried inside and as quickly as he left, he returned with a briskly man behind him._

_"All right, I'll carry him young girl," said the man, Kurosaki Isshin. "Ichigo, hurry and get the stretcher ready."_

_Ichigo nodded and hurried to fix the stretcher in the clinic. His father laid the unconscious man on it._

_"Onii-chan! Please be okay!" cried the young girl._

_"I'll do my best to tend to him little girl, for now I need you to leave the room and wait patiently ok?" promised Isshin. He then turned to his son, "Ichigo, please."_

_Ichigo understood what his father meant and by the looks of it, he understood that it was already too late as Ichigo was looking across the spirit of the young girl's brother. His soul detached from his body, a chain dangled on his chest._

_The young man's spirit looked at Ichigo as if pleading him to take his sister away from the sadness. Ichigo nodded and gently pulled on the young girl._

_The two walked silently, Ichigo holding on to her soft hand, in the hallway from the clinic to the house. They stopped half way as the young girl began to cry loudly._

_"Is my brother dead? Is he going to die?" She asked._

_Ichigo was silent. He didn't know what to say to this young girl except, "We just have to wait. My dad also called the nearest hospital so there's still hope left."_

_He watched as the the girl's tears fell endlessly. "What's your name?" He asked._

_"O-Orihime Inoue," she mumbled._

_"Don't cry Inoue," Ichigo said. "If you cry, your brother will only be sad."_

_Orihime was a little confused by the young boy's statement. She thought to stop but it was no use. "It's my fault..."_

_Ichigo raised an eyebrow. Orihime continued, "If I had told him to be safe then things would've been different. The one time I had an argument with him. If I had just told my brother the truth and made up and told him to be safe then maybe..."_

_"Ichigo," called his father from behind them. The two immediately turned around and ran towards the clinic._

_"What's up dad?"_

_Isshin bowed his head. He then turned to Orihime whose face was still a little hopeful. "I'm sorry. I'm afraid the damage he received caused internal bleeding."_

_"What does that mean then? Is my brother..."_

_"I'm really sorry. I've called the ambulance to take your brother for proper autopsy," Isshin said as he softly patted the girl's head. He then headed out and gestures for Ichigo to follow._

_"But he's there dad. Maybe I can tell her that her brother is just there and I could communicate with him," Ichigo innocently stated._

_"I know you are worried and that maybe acting as a bridge for her and her brother would appease her. But let's leave her to mourn. It is not wise to give hope for the dead to stay in this world."_

_Ichigo did not understand his father's statement. He could just tell Orihime that her brother is there and that he is willing to communicate with him for her. It was just a small request. _

_Ichigo stole a glance inside the room. He saw Orihime slumped before her brother's lifeless body. Just above her hovered the spirit of the man on the stretcher looking down on his sister with sad eyes. The man then noticed Ichigo and slowly he came close._

_"You can see me," he said._

_"Ye-yeah," replied Ichigo a little shocked._

_"I know it's not right for me to ask you such a thing but, will you take care of her? Make sure she'll be all right before she leaves this place?"_

_"I don't know if I can," said Ichigo. He felt uneasy at the ghost's request. But he too can't deny that he was also worried for her._

_"Tell her that I'll continue to watch over her. That I'm sorry," the ghost said with a sad voice._

_Ichigo was silent for a moment. He thought of his father's words, then he assured himself that it was just a small request._

_"Ok," he then replied. The ghost smiled at him and returned to his sister's side._

_Ichigo watched as the ghost of her brother tried to pat her on the head. He heard him say, "It's all right Orihime, you don't need to apologize. I will always be with you. So please smile for me again."_

_Ichigo then remembered a moment with his mother..._

_"Aren't teddy bears for girls?" _

_"Oh but this teddy bear is special. It's for everyone! When you hug it like this...uuum! You'll start to feel happy!"_

_"So when I'm sad then I'll just hug it like this...uuum!"_

_Ichigo felt a pang of sadness as he thought of his mother hugging him. He heard a loud noise outside the clinic and knew the ambulance was almost there. He quickly ran up to his room. Sitting on his table was a pink teddy bear, the one his mother gave to him._

_'Right now, someone else needs it more than I do,' Ichigo thought._

_He quickly came down just in time to see Orihime waiting as her brother was being brought out._

_"Hey," he called out to her. Orihime looked up, her eyes puffy and red. Tears still streaming down her cheeks._

_Ichigo wondered if she would ever smile after what happened. He wondered if he could be able to do anything to make her feel a little better. He wondered more why he wanted to make her feel better._

_'Is it because I understand how she feels?' he asked himself._

_Ichigo reached for the girls teary eyes and wiped a tear streaming down her face. "You shouldn't cry anymore," he began._

_Orihime sniffed and held back a tear._

_Ichigo continued, "If you're sad, your brother won't be happy in heaven. So you should smile because he will always look over you."_

_Orihime felt more tears coming due to the kind words the young boy told her. She knew he was right and that her brother would be sad if she would forever mourn his death._

_"Your brother wanted to apologize to you, you know," Ichigo said rather hesitantly._

_"Huh?" Orihime muttered._

_"He said that it was ok. It wasn't your fault. And that, he was happy that you still have the hairpins with you," Ichigo said, the spirit of Orihime's brother hovered over Ichigo whispering in his ear._

_For a moment, Orihime thought she saw her brother smiling at her._

_"And he also said that he loves you, always and forever."_

_Orihime felt the emotions well up in her and she again cried even more. Ichigo panicked at her sudden outburst._

_"He-hey, didn't I just say you shouldn't cry anymore?" _

_Orihime continued to cry. Ichigo scratched the back of his head. On his other hand hidden behind his back, he held tightly on a pink teddy bear._

_"You know, since you won't listen to me," Ichigo said. He brought out the pink teddy bear and gently pushed it towards her._

_"Here, this is a special teddy bear. No matter how sad you are when you give it a hug it will definitely make you smile. It's important to me but since you're a special case, you can have it," he said trying hard to say it with a straight face, although a blush stained his cheeks._

_"But why are you giving me something so important?" asked Orihime innocently._

_"Like I said you're a special case! And you won't listen to me when I tell you to stop crying so I'm giving you my teddy bear to work his magic on you!" He exclaimed a little embarrassed._

_Orihime took the teddy bear and glanced at Ichigo who was waiting for her to give it a hug. She hugged it and felt warmth flow through her as if someone was also hugging her._

_Ichigo watched as Orihime hugged the bear and saw as her brother gave her an embrace, though his hands slightly passed through._

_Again tears flowed on Orihime's cheeks, "Seriously, you're still crying?" Ichigo said a little disappointed but then Orihime lifted her head and there, reflected in his eyes was a bright and happy smile._

_Ichigo's heart skipped a beat but shrugged it off as quickly as it came. _

_"Thank you," Orihine said._

_Ichigo gave a sigh and smiled, although his eyebrow were crossed there was a gentleness and content in the smile._

_"Ah, I haven't asked your name yet," said Orihime wiping her tears._

_"It's Kurosaki Ichigo."_

_"Thank you, Kurosaki-kun," she said smiling again. _

_Ichigo coughed, "So I wasn't able to name the bear yet. Maybe you could give him a name."_

_"Oh, umm..." Orihime began. From outside the house Isshin called for the two of them._

_"It's time to go little miss," he called out._

_"Ah, I have to go now," she said looking back at Ichigo. She blushed and lowered her head before saying, "I think I'll name him Enraku."_

_"What a weird name," Ichigo said chuckling._

_Orihime was still teary but Ichigo felt her heart lighten a little. He took one long look at her as she waved him goodbye. Ichigo watched her beautiful auburn hair disappear out the door._

*.*.*.*

Orihime patted her pink bear's head. She took it and hugged it tightly. She cracked a smile and then giggled as she remembered a young boy's sincere words. She turned to look at her brother's altar and prayed once more before she leaves for school.

*.*.*.*

Ichigo played the memories in his thoughts. He recalls his reason and decided to proceed with his plan.

"Orihime might be targeted. I'm not about to let that happen," he said to himself. The image of the young Orihime smiling at him.

-end of one shot-

**AUTHOR'S NOTES:**

Umm… well, I hoped you guys liked this! This is also for alifetimeaway/orihimepumpkinoue, I hope I didn't disappoint . I was finished with it a long time ago but took me a while to post. The reference about the other stuff toy is based on my other one shot entitled UTAMARO (click the link if you feel like reading it) This story was based on a head canon. Hope you guys enjoyed the read! :D (uploaded on my tumblr-station11).

On another note, for those of you reading Heaven Sent (HS) I'm sorry for the really long wait, I'll be posting up new chapters soon (errr... hopefully). Thank you for your kindness and patience!

Thank you so much to everyone who's been reading, reviewing, following and favoring my stories. :)

R&R~


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